Maggie Alston Claud

Volunteer Of The Week

HARTFORD — Where she volunteers: Claud is a Diocesan Jubilee Officer, working with Episcopal parishes in Hartford and around the state.

Little-known fact: She enjoys going on cruises with her ex-husband.

Hobbies: Claud loves to read, sew and visit two of her grandchildren every Wednesday.

Philosophy on volunteering: It reflects her religious teaching that she should help people in need.

Helping others has been a way of life for Maggie Alston Claud. From raising her five children to spiritually supporting Episcopal priests and their parishioners, Claud has consistently followed the teachings of Bible Scriptures that guided her toward working in the community. She is a 30-year member of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Hartford.

``The Scriptures have taught me to feed the hungry, nurse the sick, help the poor and visit those in prison,'' she said. ``I just love doing the work of the Lord. It makes me feel like a million bucks because I know I have helped somebody.''

As a Diocesan Jubilee Officer, Claud visits Episcopal parishes in Hartford and other areas of Connecticut to see how they support their congregations spiritually. During her visits, Claud urges the priests to make their parishes Jubilee Centers.

``A Jubilee Center provides the parish with a national network where they can obtain assistance and funds from the national church,'' Claud said. ``It provides day care for seniors and children and educational and learning opportunities.''

Although it is not a nationally centralized program, assistance from the Jubilee Office at the Episcopal Church Center in New York is available to all churches in the Jubilee mission and ministry, Claud said. The work of the Jubilee Ministry is to create a joint discipleship with poor and oppressed people, take care of human needs and build a just society.

Claud, who lives at Armsmere, a retirement community on Wethersfield Avenue for widows of Episcopal ministers and other ``gentlewomen,'' is a retired supervisor with the city's housing department and a former member of the board of education. Currently she is on the Connecticut State Real Estate Commission.

In what she calls her ``precious and limited'' free time, Claud loves to read, sew and spend time with her 23 grandchildren.

And every Wednesday, she picks up granddaughters Shayla and Chanise Alston from SS Cyril and Methodius School.

``We go over to Wendy's and pick up our dinner and do our homework,'' she said.

she wants to learn about astronomy and archaeology.

``Who knows when that will happen,'' she said. ``But with God, all things are possible.''